The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-06-30

| borrowed our shotgun. That night the
vigilance camo and they whipped me
and whipped Mary. don't know who
| it was They whipped us in our night
clothes. First one and then another
lashed us both. Mary's SO awful hurt
I'm afraid she'll die. L guess there's
some people want our little property and
are trying to drive us away"
Mary Lynch is not moro than seven
teen years old and rather good looking.
She could tell no more than her mother.
Wesley Green, father of Bryant Green,
was found by the importer and said that
the Lynches kept a bad place-playing
cards and 'whooping on Sundays. The
vigilantes, he thought, had done right
in whipping them. Mrs. Lynch was a
respectable woman, he guessed, and the
cutting up had only been going on
seven or eight months.
Public opinion in the neighborhood is
much divided over the matter, but the
general opinion is that the Knig ghts ought
not to have done the whipping.
The whipping of women is too fre-
quent in the knights to be pleasant.
Generally their victims are charged with
unchastity, but it is admitted that there
haye been cases when whippings were
given as the result of disappointment or
malice.
In Blue River township Lem Arnold
lived couple of years ago. He was ap-
parontly stout and healthy, but was
accused of shiftlessness and letting his
wife haul wood. That winter band of
the knights visited him at midnight,
took him out of bed and hauled up
good supply of firewood. Arnold drew
the sled in his night shirt, and although
he was liberally whipped to keep up the
circulation he died few weeks alter
ward Of consumption brought on by the
exposure.
In the samo township lived Henry
Long, lawyer, accused of being dis
trrbing clement, especially at elections.
lie was brought to trial before magis-
tratc. While the case was in progress
band of masked men with their coats
turned surrounded the house. Long
sprang to the door, and shot dead the
first man who entered. The victim
proved to be respected Frenchman
named M. HenriOt, whom the mob had
forced into the lead. Long tried to
shoot again but his pistol failed him.
He made dash through the crowd, but
received SC, eral shots, from the effects
OF which he died next day at Corydon.
None Of the band was ever brought to
Justice.
Corydon was once captured by band
of the "White Caps" In May, 1885,
there was talk of corruption in the colln-
ty Offices, but to the demands for invcs-
tgaton no attention was paid On
Saturday evening two mon rode into
town about dark, saying they had come
to see the ku-kluX. Soon horsemen be-
gan to ride into town from every road.
In half an hour between two and three
hundred had gathered upon the public
square. The men had their coats turned,
and all wore white masks, with a dozen
other forms of disguise. All tho horses
had white masks over their heads, with
holes cut for their eyes and ears. A
number of horses had white strips tied
around y fore-leg The band rode
through every street in the town in mil
itary order, then once around it, and
then disbanded. Two or three were OBJ
served to ride into livery stable and
leave their horses
The next morning letters threatening
to burn the town and kill every one Of
the officers unless an investigation was
ordered wore received by the county
commissioners and several of the promi-
ncnt citizens.
An investigation was ordered the next
week. Discrepancies were found in the
treasurers and auditors offices. Treasur-
er Bowling turned over large sum of
money he had collected, was sued on his
bond and 5000 more was recovered. The
records in the auditors office were mutt
lated one night, SO complete invcstiga-
ton could not be had. Auditor a. w.
Brewster, however, paid over $4,000
which it was thought he owed the
county.
John Jacob Miller, q well-to-do farm
er living near Corydon, was brought be-
fore the grand jury as 0ne of the mob.
lie refused to testify and was ordered to
Jail for contempt. lie secured few
minutes talk with the Judge and the
prosecuting attorney, however, and the
order was revoked. Miller went home
and nothing moro was ever done in the
case.
These instances could be multiplied
by the score. Quccrly enough the In
hanlans seem not to be much opposed
to the "Whito Caps" and conclude they
rarely make mistakes in punishmentS.
The moro thoughtful, however, admit
that the organization is sometimes the
weapon Of private malice and tLat great
wrong is done. Still, nothing is done to
break up the "Knights."